Improvement in clothes-line clamps



G. G. 10HNSON.

Clothes-Line Clamps.

10.157,475. l l Patented Dec. 8,1874.

Z'fmfs S65. T11/faran U NrTED STATES PATENT QEEIcEc CHARLESO; JOHNSON, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO D. M. SMITH 86 CO., OF SPRINGFIELD, VERMONT.

IMPROVEMENT IN CLOTHES-LINE' CLAM-PS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 157,475, dated December 8, 1674; application filed November 26, 1873.

To all whom it may conc-era:

Be it known that I, CHARLES O. JOHNSON, of Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Clothes-Line Clamp; and I do hereby declare that the following, taken inconnection with the dra wings which accompany and form part of this specification, is a description of my invention-.sufficient to enable those skilled in the art to practice it.

My invention relates to an improvement in clothesline clamps of that class in which, to form the clamp, two levers are jointed together with a spring for forcing the griping-jaws inward, each of said jaws being made with a recessed face to iit upon the clothes-line, and the opposite ends of the jaws constituting handles to separate the jaws. Earlyinstances of these clamps may be seen in United States Letters Patent Nos. 10,166 and 10,311, of 1853.

In myinvention I secure a more perfect and enduring connection of the parts; and to effect such connection I form each jaw with a mortise, into which extends a guide-block, and

pivot the two jaws, by respective pivot-pins,

to this block, and around one part ofthis block I lay a plate-spring, the opposite ends of which bear against the levers, so that by the stress of the spring the jaws are forced together or inward. My invention consists of a clothes-line clamp having the levers thus connected and held.

The drawing represents a clamp embodying c b denote `the two clamp or jaw levers 5 c, the mortise cut into or through each. Into the two mortises enter the guide and hinge-block or roll d, and through this roll are bored two holes,e, through which and the respective levers a b pass the pivot-pins f, the roll, pins, and

-mortise-slots constituting thefconnecting and guiding devices for the movements ot' the clamp-levers. h denotes the spring, which passes under the block and-into the mortises, as shown, preferably having its opposite ends bent, and extending into recesses t, the stress of the 4spring drawing the levers together, as will be readily understood.

The construction thus described is very siniple, the parts are very easily made and very readily connected, and the construction is cheap and enduring.

The mortises may be worked into the inner sides ot' the levers, instead of being cut entirely through them.

I disclaim the use of spiral springs, or a hingepiece cut away at its center to receive a spring; nor do I claim, broadly, the ruse of a flat spring in clothes-clamps.

I claim- The described clothes-line clamp, consisting of the solid hinge-block d, combined with the levers c and b, and connected severally thereto, and with the iiat plate spring applied around the block and to the levers, as shown,

the several parts being arranged and operating as shown and set forth.

- CHARLES C. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

FRANCIS GoULD, M. W. FROTHINGHAM. 

